


And the birds don't sing, no they don't make a sound

by Never_Give_In



Series: Sound Of Silence [1]
Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Under the Red Hood
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Bat Brothers, Bat Family, Batfamily Feels, Brother-Sister Relationships, Brotherly Bonding, Bruce Wayne is a Good Parent, Cassandra Cain is Batgirl, Deaf Character, Explosions, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Jason Todd Needs A Hug, No Slash, Stephanie Brown is Spoiler
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-14
Updated: 2018-08-16
Packaged: 2019-06-27 12:59:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15685911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Never_Give_In/pseuds/Never_Give_In
Summary: After a warehouse explosion screws up Jason yet again, he becomes lost in a world full of sound- yet he can't hear a thing.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Title is sourced from the song "The Dead Can't Testify" by Billy Talent.
> 
> Really awesome song- highly recommend it.

When Jason tracked an offshoot of the Falcone crime family to a warehouse on the far east end of Bristol, he didn’t expect the stakeout to end with him being blown out of a window as the building around him was destroyed in a fiery explosion.

 

The glass shattered around his body and the concussive sound of the explosion rang in his ears even after he had hit the ground, grunting at the sudden impact. Jason’s head was fuzzy and he could still feel the heat around him as he took deep breaths to calm the adrenaline flowing through his veins. There wasn’t enough air so he started to sit up, pushing himself off the ground only for his whole world to turn, the vision of the warehouse on fire shining like a beacon.

 

Jason groaned and reached up for the button at the back of his helmet, popping it off in a fluid motion, only for a sudden dull ring to bombard him, tuning out the distant sounds of police sirens and the closer crackle of the fire. It sounded like he was underwater, and Jason blinked wearily, shaking off the pain and ache he felt.

 

Slowly, he rose to his feet and stumbled only once before standing still and tried to get his ears cleared of the ringing.

 

It wasn’t working.

 

“What the hell-”

 

Jason suddenly stopped, his breath catching with the realization that he couldn’t hear his voice. Well, he could- it just sounded garbled and incomprehensible so he wasn’t even sure how loud he had spoken. The thought of being temporarily deafened by the explosion crossed his mind but then he wouldn’t be able to hear the police sirens, which were coming closer, and the crackling fire nearby.

 

He shook his head in a daze, whispering under his breath to see how much he could hear. And yet Jason’s own voice remained a garbled, watery sound to his ears much to his confusion and growing fear. He cursed mentally when a shrieking sound entered his ear and a garbled sound rang from it.

 

His comm.

 

Jason raised a hand and clicked the device, disregarding whatever was being said and by whom although he assumed it to be Oracle checking on him. He needed to head to the cave but had to make sure he wasn’t bombarded when he got there.

 

“This is Red Hood. Whoever’s talking, please kindly shut up and listen. I was tracking some of Falcone’s men when the warehouse blew up. I was blown through a window and I think the explosion screwed up my hearing. Call LT and Batgirl- I’ll be at the cave soon.”

 

\-----

 

It was actually Alfred who had been on the comm.

 

The old butler had been monitoring his family’s progress, hovering over the footage being fed into the batcomputer. Nightwing fighting off some of Penguin’s goons, Red Robin and Spoiler chasing down Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy, Batgirl overseeing a drug ring and waiting for the right moment, Batman and Robin chasing down Killer Croc, and- _where’s Master Jason?_

 

Sure enough, Red Hood’s feed had gone black when it had been showing goons mere minutes ago. Frantic, Alfred tuned onto Jason’s comm.

 

“Master Jason? What hap-”

 

_“This is Red Hood. Whoever’s talking, please kindly shut up and listen. I was tracking some of Falcone’s men when the warehouse blew up. I was blown through a window and I think the explosion screwed up my hearing. Call LT and Batgirl- I’ll be at the cave soon.”_

 

Alfred froze. He was overwhelmed with joy that his grandson was alright but that relief was short lived when the rest of his message caught up. _The explosion might have made him deaf._

 

Without any preamble, he did as told and hurriedly called up Leslie- who was supposedly busy at the moment but could be there within an hour, and then Cassandra.

 

_“Alfred?”_

 

“Miss Cassandra, you are needed at the cave.”

 

Cass ducked a punch on the screen as she fought the men who ran the drug deal. _“Something wrong? Someone hurt?”_

 

“Master Jason requires your presence at the cave. It is possible his hearing has been lost.”

 

Within moments, all of Cassandra’s opponents were down. _“How? Jason careful.”_

 

“Warehouse explosion, my dear.”

 

Alfred waited for a moment when Cass went silent and watched as she grappled to a nearby building.

 

_“Be there soon.”_

 

The connection dropped and Alfred sat back to wait for either of his charges’ arrival. It took maybe ten minutes but Jason arrived first, pulling in on his motorcycle. He had his helmet off and on its pedestal on the bike, grabbing it as he hopped off and headed over to the batcomputer where Alfred met his second eldest grandson.

 

“Hello?” Jason’s voice resonated throughout the cave, his voice louder than normal.

 

Alfred rushed over, walking into Jason’s line of sight so the man could see him. Jason looked instantly relieved at his appearance, watching his every move.

 

“Master Jason,” Alfred said, his voice pained as he watched Jason’s eyebrows furrow. “Can you hear me?”

 

A minute passed, and Jason shook his head. “Did you call Cass?”

 

Alfred gestured to the batcomputer a few feet behind them, where Batgirl’s vid-link was showing her driving her motorcycle through Gotham, on her way to the cave.

 

“Thank you,” Jason replied, his voice a little off but still loud. “Leslie?”

 

Alfred nodded in response.

 

Jason blew out a breath and ran a hand through his hair, stress radiating off of him in waves. He stood still for a moment then eyed Alfred who was watching him worriedly. A sudden sob caught his throat and Jason collapsed, Alfred barely catching him before he hit the floor of the cave. They sat there in silence after, the only sounds being Jason’s scared cries and Alfred’s soothing words to his grandson, despite the man being unable to hear a word he said.


	2. Chapter 2

When Cass got to the cave, she found Jason curled up on a medical bed with Alfred hovering beside him, running concussion tests and other medical stuff that Cass couldn’t care less about. She took off her cowl and rushed over to her little brother, worry overwhelming her before she even reached his side.

 

“Alfred?” Cass asked as she walked up.

 

The old butler turned to her and she was shocked by the concern and grief on his face.

 

“Jason?” She asked and glanced at her brother who just kept staring into space, tear tracks on his face.

 

Alfred sighed heavily and shook his head. “Master Jason cannot hear anything as far as I can tell. There’s no sign of a concussion, although he does have burns from the explosion. Until Leslie gets here, the extent of the hearing loss is unknown as well as the fact of whether or not it is permanent.”

 

Cass frowned and took the last few steps toward Jason. She lightly tapped him, gaining his attention as he looked up and met her gaze. His wide green eyes were filled with hurt and loss and Cass’ heart went out to him as she enveloped him in a hug. Jason gently returned it, and they stayed like that for a few moments before Cass maneuvered herself out of his arms.

 

_‘How feel you?’_ She signed, making sure Jason could see her hands.

 

_‘Tired,’_ He signed back.

 

_‘You hear any?’_

 

Jason teetered his hand, the sign for ‘so-so’. _‘Little hearing. Sirens. Fire. No voice.’_

 

Cass glanced at Alfred. Their grandfather knew some signs for the sake of Cass but Jason was, ironically and thankfully, the only family member to learn most of the signs.

 

“He heard police and explosion but not us.” She explained. Jason signed again, eyes on Alfred as he did. “Sorry,” Cass interpreted. “He didn’t mean to scare.”

 

Alfred smiled shakily and shook his head, taking Jason’s hands in his own. “It is not your fault, Master Jason.”

 

Cass interpreted for Jason, who frowned and started to sign something else when the roar of the batmobile filled the cave causing him to jump. Alfred and Cass watched as Jason blanched even before the car was in sight, fueling the idea that he wasn’t fully deaf- just at close-range.

 

The batmobile parked and Cass ran over to meet both Batman and Robin, stopping them.

 

“Cain? What the-”

 

“Bruce!” Cass said, completely ignoring Damian but holding his arm to prevent him from moving. “Jason hurt-” She moved and put a hand on his chest before he could rush to his son. “-let me explain.”

 

“Cass, he’s injured-”

 

“Yes, but not way you think. Warehouse explosion and he got blown out- now hearing gone. You talk and Jason won’t hear.” Cass explained, watching as Bruce looked down at her with the cowl still on- but she could tell he was hurting.

 

“Todd… is deaf?” Damian asked, staring at where his second eldest brother was sitting. Alfred hovered beside Jason, who stared at Bruce with an unreadable expression.

 

“Yes.” Cass said and finally let Damian go and cast her eyes back to Bruce. “He’ll be okay.”

 

Bruce didn’t make a sound and just let her walk him over to where Damian was now talking slowly to his brother, making sure he could read his lips.

 

“You’re an imbecile, Todd,” Damian said and Jason just rolled his eyes in reply but a small smirk was on his face. “Now Cain will have to teach us all your language so we can even have a decent conversation! Not to mention how difficult patrol is going to be now that-”

 

Damian stopped, tensing at his own words. Jason froze too, in sync with his little brother, and in time with Cass stopping with Bruce.

 

“Pennyworth, there’s a way to fix him, right?” Damian turned and while his body language stayed true, his voice was worried. When Alfred didn’t respond, Damian looked to Bruce. “Father? Thompkins can fix him- he’s not… _stuck_ like this, right?”

 

Bruce breathed deeply and didn’t reply, instead barking an order to Cass and Alfred. “Bring Damian upstairs, please. And send down Leslie when she arrives.”

 

Cass nodded and picked up Damian, dragging the struggling teen up the rocky steps to the manor. “Cain, let go of me! I want to stay with my brother! He can’t be broken… he can’t! Father!”

 

His calls echoed until Cass disappeared with Alfred and Bruce felt a twinge in his heart. Damian had called Jason his brother for the first time- and yet Jason had no idea, and would never hear it be said either.

 

Bruce broke himself from his thoughts at a sudden tap on his shoulder and looked to see Jason watching him cautiously.

 

_‘Sorry.’_

 

Bruce shook his head and removed his cowl, trying to remember the signs he had learned a few years ago for Cass.

 

_‘Stop. Not your fault,’_ Bruce signed quickly. _‘Fire not your fault. Stop blaming yourself.’_

 

Jason huffed. “Bruce…” His voice was pitched weird and Bruce was reminded of Cassandra, back when he had started teaching her to speak.

 

“Can’t you just let me have this?” Jason asked, searching Bruce’s face. “Stop with that bullshit about how it isn’t my fault. First time I got blown up, I died. Second time, I lose my hearing. Both times I went after the bad guy and suffered the consequences.”

 

“We don’t kn-” Jason pulled Bruce down to his level, a frustrated look on his face. Sitting down, he wasn’t tall enough to read Bruce’s lips. “Sorry,” Bruce muttered. “We don’t know that it’s permanent, Jay. Leslie may still come back with something and even if she doesn’t, there’s still options we can look at. You don’t have to be alone in this.”

 

_‘How continue red h-o-o-d?’_

 

Bruce ran a hand through his hair and sighed. “Like I said, we have options. If you want, Dick can call up Zatanna- there’s a possibility she could heal you. But depending on the damage, Leslie could just refer a cochlear or a hearing aid.”

 

Jason mulled over the points for a moment before frowning and spoke again. “What’d the brat say?”

 

“What?”

 

Jason stared into Bruce’s eyes, unreadable emotions swirling in the green of his own eyes.

 

“When Cass dragged him off- he was saying something. I could hear him faintly… what was he screaming about?”

 

“He didn’t want to be separated from you,” Bruce said and then signed the last part, watching Jason’s resolve drop as he did. _‘He name you ‘brother’.’_

 

There was a strange look on Jason’s face at that and Bruce enveloped him in a hug, feeling his son stiffen in his arms before relaxing, crying softly. He held Jason close, holding him together as the boy fell apart in his arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So first off, every sign in this chapter is a real sign in ASL, written as its English equivalent. I might get some beef from people for not having everyone know ASL but i call bs on anyone who says Jason didn't do everything he could to help Cass once he reconnected with the family- therefore the two of them and Bruce are default on knowing most of ASL.
> 
> Second, can i just say thank you?!?! Because holy shit the reaction to this fic is incredible!!!! I mean, 400 hits and nearly 60 kudos within 24 hours?? That's awesome!! I can't believe you guys love this story so much but thank everyone who has read this story and everyone who has commented (and a special thanks to Kingsdaughter613 for a little extra ASL knowledge XD).
> 
> And one final note: Dami and Jay's relationship will be expanded in the next chapter, however i don't fully explain why they are so close. Maybe I'll write a prequel fic...? We'll have to see!


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning, Jason woke up to silence much to his confusion. His mind was muddled and he looked around the room he was in, recognizing it as his own in the manor. He sat up and found a band tee and jeans sitting on a chair beside the bed, getting up to start putting on clothes and head downstairs.

 

It didn’t take long for him to pull on the shirt and open his door, hearing a few faint sounds coming from downstairs that he couldn’t really make out. It was the only sound in the silence and Jason still couldn’t remember how he got to the manor in the first place- much less how he ended up spending the night.

 

When he reached the grand staircase that led down to the foyer and then the kitchen, the noises grew fainter instead of louder and Jason suddenly remembered what had happened last night.

 

“Shit,” He said- or, rather, he thought he said. Jason still couldn’t hear himself beside the faint watery echo that rang in his ears. Apparently he said it louder than intended and heard a distant sound before Dick appeared, a concerned look on his face.

 

“Jaybird?”

 

“Dick?” Jason asked in bewilderment. “What the hell?”

 

Dick got a sheepish look on his face and stepped forward so Jason could read his lips better. “Bruce called Tim and I last night. He said you got hurt.” Dick’s face turned into a frown suddenly, pity in his eyes. “Your hearing is gone?”

 

Jason groaned and quickly signed, _‘Yes. Don’t want talk about deaf.’_

 

Jason pushed past his older brother and walked into the kitchen, finding Tim hovering drowsily over a cup of coffee, Bruce reading the morning paper, Barbara and Steph standing by the window and talking about something (probably a case), and Cass was perched on a countertop and watching as Alfred finished cooking and distributed food out to the clan of Bats.

 

Cass noticed Jason’s entry almost immediately, eyes lighting up. She hopped off her perch and hugged him as he entered.

 

 _‘Brother!’_ Her face was all smiles as she signed. _‘Sleep good?’_

 

Jason nodded and smiled back, nearly jumping at Dick’s hand on his shoulder. He knew Dick was saying something by Tim’s raised head in their direction and Bruce setting down his paper so he glanced at his brother but couldn’t catch a complete sentence. Cass got his attention and started translating for him.

 

_‘Last night, L-e-s-l-i-e came. Tests done. Results come soon. We all need learn A-S-L in case you deaf continue.’_

 

Jason signed a ‘thank you’ to Cass and walked further into the room, approaching Bruce. He had just realized who was missing from the kitchen.

 

“Where’s Damian?”

 

Bruce looked up at Jason, frowning but locking eyes so Jason could read his lips. “Cass put him to bed last night but he hasn’t come down yet. He’s only let Alfred in his room before asking him to leave-”

 

“So he’s still upset.”

 

They had the whole room’s attention, even Tim’s (caffeine induced as it was). Cass was sending Jason a look, signing for him to lower his voice. Jason ignored her and walked back out of the kitchen before Alfred caught his arm.

 

Jason didn’t realize why until his adoptive grandfather placed a tray in his hands, piled with two plates of pancakes, eggs, and fruit. Alfred met his eyes before Jason left, nodding gratefully to his grandfather.

 

It took him a few minutes to arrive at Damian’s room, having to be careful not to trip and lose the breakfast. He knocked on the door and waited a second, the ringing in his ears covering anything Damian might have been saying.

 

Apparently the Demon had been saying something, presumably a ‘go away’ or ‘come in’, but when Jason called Damian’s name, the door immediately opened to reveal a sight Jason never thought he’d see: Damian Wayne _crying._

 

“Todd-”

 

Jason walked in and placed the tray of food on a table in Damian’s room, turning to see the boy had shut his door. His eyes were red and his face was blotchy and although he tried to hide it, he was sniffling too.

 

“Damian, come here.”

 

No sooner had Jason said the words, his little brother tackled him. Jason cradled him, shushing Damian as he cried onto Jason’s shoulder, his whole body shaking. Jason picked him up and carried him over to the bed, comforting him much like Alfred and Bruce had done for himself the night before.

 

“What’s wrong?” Jason asked and pulled away so he could see the boy’s face. He was crying still but was swallowing it, trying to keep his facade up but failing.

 

“It’s not fair,” Damian said, going to look down but remembering that Jason needed to read his lips. “I just started getting along with you after our case on the Joker and now… now you’ve lost your hearing and-”

 

“Hey,” Jason said and held Damian away from him. “Don’t start with that. Me being… deaf doesn’t change anything, alright? And, yeah, it sucks and all- especially since it’s still up in the air what is exactly going on. But this won’t change our little brother thing we’ve started, Damian. Most this’ll do? Cass will need to teach you how to sign more than just stuff around the manor.”

 

Damian sighed and nodded, worry leaving his eyes. “Jason-”

 

“If a word comes out of your mouth complaining about my problems, I’m going to make _you_ deaf.”

 

“You wouldn’t dare,” Damian said and smiled a little, a sign of the progress that Jason had made with his most difficult brother.

 

Jason smiled back, ruffling the teen's hair causing him to grumble. “I brought breakfast.”

 

Damian turned his gaze to the tray and then reached over, grabbing one of the fruit cups and a fork. When he started to devour the whole cup within a few seconds, Jason took it as a sign that he hadn't eaten since the night before.

 

A silence fell between them then, Damian moving again to hand Jason his portion of the breakfast. The two ate together in quiet company, although if Damian had said anything it was unlikely Jason could hear him anyway. It went on for so long that Jason choked on a piece of cantaloupe when Damian suddenly tapped his arm.

 

Damian looked appalled at Jason's action, like he wasn't the one at fault for making Jason choke. Jason recovered quickly and sent his brother a look.

 

“What was that for?”

 

“I needed to get your attention somehow.” Damian retorted. Jason mentally attached the boy's dry, sarcastic tone to the statement and rolled his eyes.

 

“And….?” Jason prompted, setting aside his plate to fully face his brother.

 

Suddenly there was a new emotion on Damian’s face, one Jason thought looked like discomfort. Odd.

 

“I was wondering,” Damian started, facing Jason but his eyes looking everywhere but. “Since Cain is otherwise occupied, as is Pennyworth, and Father and the others are less qualified- I was wondering if you… if you could teach me your language.”

 

Jason blinked, a blank expression on his face as Damian looked down, a blush rising up his neck. He was pleasantly surprised to see Damian finally expressing the teenage nervousness common with his age, although his request caught Jason a little off-guard.

 

“Dami,” He said quietly (or so he hoped). Damian still wasn't facing him but he knew the boy was listening. “Of course I will. I mean, the whole family's going to have to learn at some point but-”

 

Damian shook his head and shifted on the bed, meeting Jason's gaze again. “Cain will teach the family, I'm sure. Todd, I wish for just you to teach me. We are brothers after all,” Damian straightened his back and Jason imagined he was using that formal tone he had. “And it would make Grayson… pleased to see us ‘bond’.”

 

An amused smile cut Jason's face. “Dami, if you want to hang out you can just say so.”

 

His little brother started sputtering, causing Jason to laugh as he was tackled by the small teen, the two wrestling in a brotherly fashion. It ended moments later and Damian sat up, a serious yet hopeful expression on his face.

 

“You'll teach me?”

 

Jason grinned and took a bite of pancake. “I'm you big brother, tater tot, what else am I here for?”

 

\---

 

And if Bruce happened to silently push open Damian’s door later that morning to check on his son and saw him coping Jason's hand shapes and motions as the older boy brokenly spoke the english translation, well, no one else had to know.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So i struggled a bit with this chapter, especially with how to end it and I'm only a little happy with how it turned out. But i managed to have plenty of brotherly love in this chapter so hopefully that made up for how crappy it was all together.
> 
> On another note: the amount of praise from you guys has made me so happy ohmygosh ♡♡♡♡♡. Almost 900 hits and 97 kudos- i wanted to cry, you guys have just made my week!!!
> 
> With that, i have several ideas for a series for this story. If anyone is interested, im going to start it with a prequel fic about why Dami and Jay are so close and then all stories after that will most likely follow this story's convoluted canon. It might be a while before i can get anything written (school starts on Monday and my schedule is packed gah) but i promise I'll have at least the prequel up by Christmas!
> 
> So anyone who's invested enough for a series, keep an eye on my account for the next few months and I'll upload it. Otherwise, thank you guys so much for the overwhelming response to this story; it has gotten me out of my back-to-school funk!!!

**Author's Note:**

> So this is more of a self-indulgent piece more than anything. I've always liked the idea of Jason being deaf or hard of hearing so i finally decided to put this story to publish. I've written up most of this story, although it may end up as four parts instead of three, so updates will hopefully be pretty quick.
> 
> I took ASL this past year for my foreign language and I've now grown an interest for the deaf community- therefore im going to try and keep this as accurate as possible. Hence, every 'sign' in italics is an accurate sign or a form of a sign since, contrary to popular belief, ASL does not have a sign for every word. So every word split apart by dashes (b-a-t) is a fingerspelled word with no english equivalent that i can find.
> 
> That all being said, i hope y'all enjoyed!!!


End file.
